Month: February 2024

Swami ji said…

Man’s thoughts are the origin of his ‘karma’. What he thinks ; his way of thinking – is reflected in the nature of his ‘karma’. Much like seeds, which when planted in fertile soil, grow into plants and trees ; thoughts, too, once planted in the mind transform into a lifetime of action. And, just like a tree gives us fruits to eat ; our ‘कर्म’ too gives us ‘कर्मफल ’ – in the form of our destiny in our lives ahead.

Much like we do a quick quality check of a fruit before eating it – in order to ensure that it is not rotten – why don’t we give a
thought to the ‘कर्म’ – that we intend to do – knowing very well that we will have to reap the consequences –
‘कर्मफल ’ – good or bad – of our ‘कर्म’ in the lifetimes ahead. Why do we make bad decisions ? Why do we act in a manner that is rash and selfish?

Clearly, then, there is something wrong with the ‘seeds’ of the thoughts that we give space to grow in our mind. When asked to make a choice between ‘fear’ and ‘hope’ – knowing very well that there is just enough room for only ‘one’ to stay within us – what do we decide to do ? The longer we take in deciding which one to invite ; to accommodate within us – greater the perplexity, as we only add to our misery by being indecisive.Do we find it easier to harbour thoughts which are fearful and anxious in nature , as one could simply succumb to them ?Thoughts that constantly question us in a negative manner – ‘कल मेरा क्या होगा?’ ‘अगर कुछ बुरा हुआ तो क्या होगा?’ – are the thoughts of a fearful mind. These lead us to act in a way that is often self-serving. Our behaviour becomes like that of an animal living in a jungle – concerned only for his own survival. Morals are discarded for the sake of personal safety. One tries to get as much as one can for himself – today – for who knows, what calamity – tomorrow could bring ? There is no time to help and serve others. One is only supposed to think of – oneself. As long as there is a ’net positive’ to oneself, the cost to others – from one’s actions are disregarded in such a state.

Yet, there are those who think differently. While they accept the challenges of today, they act with the true belief in a better tomorrow. They have ‘hope’ in their minds and hearts.They make sacrifices today with the hope that their tomorrow will be better.They share this hope with others. They motivate others with their hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow. All their actions are based on the hope that something good will come out of it. It is only those who act with ‘hope’ in their hearts – will, in all likelihood, be the ones to experience any growth in their lives.Their courage to give life a chance, even when it feels burdensome, is what shows them the beauty – that life has to offer.

For the spiritual seeker, this is very important. Their actions will often be based solely on ‘hope’. The hope that what they are doing will actually be ‘good’ for them – even though, at the same time, all of this, might seem foolhardy to those who live in ‘fear’. Sacrifice, sharing, service to the needy – all these are acts done in the ‘hope’ – that they will be set free from the clutches of ‘maya’.These go against the nature of one who lives in fear. In fact, an act of service or compassion is something very frightful to one filled with dread and fear -as he is terrified by the idea of doing anything else that deviates from making them more secure.

Thus, it is of utmost importance to keep ‘fear’ at bay and fill the mind with ‘hope’. Fear is the enemy within us. Yes, it helps us survive, but , it is only courage and freedom that makes us thrive. It is fearing the worst – that is the worst experience of life and not actually going through and facing the difficulties of life. Most of us might have realised by now that we are able to go though the thick and thin in life – and the pain and suffering of those times is often forgotten – once things get easier. Pain is just temporary, but , it is the fear of enduring it that makes us suffer – and on replacing fear with hope – our approach towards life changes for the better – forever.
” ‘भय’ डराता है , ‘आशा’ हमें उत्साहित रखती है…”

Swami ji said…

All of us have been on some journey or another – while going to our hometowns or to some new places – by trains, planes, buses etc. And, as a result we come across various fellow travellers ; some who are constantly complaining about something or the other. Their incessant complaints can be heard by one and all. All they need is one ‘inconvenience’ to pop-up and their complaints start pouring out immediately !
In fact, there are some, who take off even before the journey begins.They complain about the unearthly hours of their travel time ; about their inability to have packed properly.To our amazement they can go on and on. There is no stopping them.

Would we like to sit next to such a fellow traveller? Would we like to lend them our ear?Absolutely not ! And, even if we were somehow seated next to such passengers, we would try our best to change our seats ! But, why would we do so? Because it would ruin our journey !

On the other hand, we would love to travel with someone who is self-assured, calm and has an ever ready smile in all situations. We would trade places to sit with someone who has jokes to make, great insights to give and never breaks into a sweat in the worst possible
scenario.

” जीवन भी एक सफर है…” Life too is a journey. There will be scenic spots to see and appreciate, and , there will also be bumps and accidents and hiccups. And, mind you, not only will we have fellow travellers in this – like our friends and family – but we too will be a fellow traveller to them. Would we not like to be akin to that ideal traveller we just described? Someone who is calm and contained – स्थिर , who is always looking for reasons to smile and laugh. Aren’t they the ones who are truly enjoying life? They are so focussed on seeing and finding the good in life, that they barely feel the pains of the bumps and bruises they get along the way.

One cannot deny the fact that – Life is the way you look at it ; the way you approach it ; your attitude towards it ; your mindset with which you would want to ‘live’ through it. Do we make a clear – headed attempt to
understand that life is and has always been a bitter – sweet mix of tears and smiles ; of joy and unhappiness ; of success and failure ; of heartbreak and cheer ? No one can change the unpredictable nature of life and the earlier each of us assimilates this – the easier it would be for us to live life.

Attitude truly is everything ! If we are determined to make the most of every second we have here ; discover and extract any and all of the treasures that life has to offer us – finding fault with life will only seem like a waste of effort. The ups and downs of life will only bring us excitement and thrill – as we will gear up to confront the challenges. What could be passed off by others as the ‘uncertainty’ of life – would be looked upon us as opportunities and new horizons.

What we need to understand is that – “अपने जीवन की परिभाषा हम स्वयं ही लिखते हैं…” If we are determined to smile through all our struggles and suffering ; then we will do so with courage – but, on the other hand, if , we can only shed tears , cry and weep at the first sign of turbulent and difficult times ahead – then that is all we will do through out – without doing any good for ourselves. Why do we adopt a defeatist attitude and cry out to all who are willing to listen to us that -” मेरा जीवन तो बिल्कुल ही बेकार है…” and , strangely, appear to derive some morbid satisfaction while saying so ! How sad would our Creator feel on hearing us speak in such a pessimistic,
ungrateful
manner ! Life is extremely precious ! Every living moment – priceless.

How can we think of living a happy life – if , the only thing that we can do, all the time is – complain and criticise – about how unfavourable and unfair life has been to us?
“जो जीवन की
आलोचना करते रहते हैं “- they only make life miserable for themselves. Our existence in the world must be celebrated by us ; enjoyed while taking His name ; talking about His mysterious ways ; His
unending Grace. But , then, there are some of us who love to analyse ‘life’. Too many – ‘whys’ and ‘whats’ can make life difficult for us. Life is the best for those – “जो
जीवन का आनंद ले ते हैं…”

For the spiritual seeker, honing one’s viewpoint – दृष्टिकोण – is very crucial for him to escape from the trap of becoming a ‘victim’ in life. In failure, he must learn – to learn from his mistakes – instead of living in regret. In uncertain times, he must prepare himself for any outcome – by focussing only on his immediate
actions and by finding refuge in the knowledge that he has done his best. It is only by doing this – can he begin to focus on God, and, not be disturbed and distracted by the unpredictable nature of life.

Swami ji said…

Most of us might be able to play out in our mind – the number of times we had tried to tell ourselves sternly – ‘ I will do this from now !’ ‘ I will never do this again !’ – and , only, we can answer honestly, whether, we were able to live up to the firmness of our words with sincerity in the days ahead.
When we say these words – they do sound very decisive, path – breaking and promising – but, are we even aware of the magnitude ; the import of having said them – and, from then onwards do we feel duty bound ; obliged and conscious of following them up with the required , right action. Have we ever given a thought to what could have prompted many a great personalities and regular people like us to make a firm resolve – ‘संकल्प’ लेने का – to lead their lives in the manner in which they had intended to do –
‘संकल्प लेने के बाद ?’ Whether it was renouncing material possessions ; achieving the impossible ; giving up wrong habits – man, somehow, has found it easier to walk the path that he was meant to follow – ‘संकल्प लेने से…”

If we were to ask ourselves –
“हमे ‘संकल्प’ क्यूं
लेना चाहिए…?’ Then the answer to this would be that – ” ‘एक’ संकल्प ही काफी होता है हमारे जीवन को संवारने के लिए…” The moment we decide to either stop doing what we had been doing in the past , or , make up our mind to do something
that we intend to follow straightaway ; with immediate effect – we remain focussed – on what it is that we want to refrain from doing then onwards , or , begin anew henceforth. In a way, it gives a fresh meaning to our life as we begin to follow a set , clearly – defined course. Chaos and confusion find no space in a mind that is refreshed and rejuvenated – with the direction that our ‘संकल्प’ has provided it with ! But, when we make a resolve – whether it is silently to ourselves , or , declared loudly to one and all – do we do so simply at the spur of the moment – in excitement ; in anger ; in disappointment- just because we had to say or do something at that moment, or , do we do so with a sense of commitment ;
responsibility ;
understanding that the necessity of putting into practice the ‘संकल्प’ taken by us – will help us evolve into a stronger , balanced individual.

” ‘संकल्प’ लेने के बाद संदेह और शक की कोई गुंजाइश नहीं रहती…” as one feels that his determination ; his resolve – is an armour that shields him from doubts and conflicting thoughts…”और अब वो बिखरेगा नही…” How many times in our lifetime – ” ऐसा हुआ होगा कि हमने कोई संकल्प लिया हो और उस पर अमल करा हो ?” All it takes is some distraction ; a few moments of weakness and we forget about our ‘संकल्प’.The more we break our promises to ourselves – the more we lose confidence in ourselves,and, the more we begin to doubt ourselves. Within hearts of hearts, a fear creeps in that – all the big announcements that we tend to make ; all the changes that we have promised to show others in ourselves – are very likely to come to naught, as we will, in all likelihood, renege on all that we promised very soon. Such an existence is bound to be one of misery, making life unworthy of living. How can we change the world, inspire it – when we cannot trust ourselves to do what we have set our mind on today. Hence, the strong emphasis to keep our promises, at all costs, was maintained by our ancestors.

Just for a minute, let us try to relate with, and , experience the firm resolve , fierce determination and sincerity with which, in the epic ‘Mahabharat’ – ‘Bheeshma Pitama’ – ‘संकल्प’
लेते है, ‘प्रतिज्ञा’ लेते है आजीवन ब्रह्मचर्य का पालन करने का – and once those soul – stirring words had been said by him – ‘उनके दृढ़ निश्चय को दिखाते हुए’ – not once did he think of detracting from his ‘प्रतिज्ञा’. Irrespective of all the pain and suffering that he had to see and face in his lifetime ; he did not waver from his ‘प्रतिज्ञा’.

For the spiritual seeker, this is the greatest test of all. To stay firm to his resolve of -” ‘गुरु’ के बताए हुए मार्ग पर चलना…” And, God will test us. At the most unlikely, most uncomfortable and inconvenient moments – we will be reminded of our ‘संकल्प’.The mind will think of a hundred reasons to change course. Those around us will also encourage us to ‘take it easy’ and ‘do it tomorrow’. Even the mind will question why we are being so ‘inflexible’. But we will know the truth – that “हमे अपने दृढ़ निश्चय पर अटल रहना चाहिए…” This will also make us choose our words very carefully next time. We will consider a hundred times before committing ourselves to any action or taking on a responsibility. Eventually we will be wiser, and, not unnecessarily make promises in a moment of emotion – as such promises more often than not cost us our self-respect and relationships.

Swami ji said…

All of us have gone through that heart – breaking period of time ; those bitter moments of despair and despondency – when something that was well within our reach ; a goal that we were well set to achieve as we were certain and sure of winning, succeeding – had eluded us ; literally slipped through our fingers – at the last minute – leaving us stumped and dumbfounded – as – ” हम यह ‘सोच’ ही नही सकते थे कि ‘परिणाम’ ऐसा हो सकता है ; हमारे साथ ऐसा हो सकता है…” We come across such ‘confounding’ moments very often in our life which make us feel very sorry for ourselves – as, somehow , we have formed a firm opinion that – the final outcome of all that we do ; intend to achieve in life – is due to what we ‘think’ ; what our mind leads us to believe ; wants to believe…” हमे यकीन होता है कि ‘परिणाम’ वैसा ही होगा जैसा हम सोचते हैं ? हमेशा अच्छा…” But is this really possible?

This notion that is fixed in our mind needs to be checked ,
altered and corrected immediately – as the net result of anything that we would like to achieve and attain – is directly related to – ‘हमारा प्रयास’- the painstaking effort , sincere attempts and honest endeavours that we are capable of making – in order to ensure that success greets us finally at the goal – post. हम, सफल , बस सपने देख के ही नही हो सकते… If we dream big – then we must prepare, work and execute things in a planned and systematic manner – to achieve our dream. Just sitting idle and dreaming ; and , not do anything – to get anywhere close to attaining it in reality – will ensure that it remains an unrealised dream. From the moment we begin working on anything – be it a small task or a project affecting millions of people – the final outcome of both will depend only on the keen initiative, focussed interest and determined labour put into it to see it bear fruit.

Is there any point in building castles in the air – unless and until – it helps us in zeroing down on a concrete and constructive idea? Haven’t we, many a times, been influenced by weak and demoralising thoughts that make us feel inconsequential, incapable of achieving a goal that we are obsessed with ! We should remain undeterred and undaunted during such moments of pessimism – and rather than changing or switching our goal – हमे अपने प्रयासों को बदल देना चाहिए – and the final result – ‘परिणाम’ – will be out there for everyone to see.

‘Sadhaks’ must understand that being initiated by a ‘sadguru’ ; being blessed with the ‘guru mantra’ by Him – should not make them feel that they have been given a ticket to Heaven. No. Not at all. In fact , on receiving the ‘guru mantra’ they must become aware of the responsibility that goes along with receiving this divine instruction – of delving deep through the layers of ignorance and understand the primary purpose of their lives.
Henceforth, they must, unfailingly, channelize all the energy within them towards their
‘sadhana’. Once they are acquainted with the rule that ‘ ‘तप’, ‘जप’ और ‘नियम’ ‘ have to be given precedence at all times – and rather than just thinking about – how and when will they begin implementing these sacred directions – they instead would start finding their way towards the spiritual path.Immediate and effective steps should be made to purify the mind and heart ; cleanse the soul ; ‘नेक’ और अच्छे ‘कर्म ‘ करना…’ with a fierce determination – as they know that this would be the only way to achieve the desired result of ‘self – realisation’ ; realising their oneness with Him.

A lethargic body and mind will have to be replaced by an all new active and alert inner being too. Half hearted attempts will get them nowhere. But, devoted and regular meditation will unravel to them the wondrous and mystical beauty of the spiritual world – illuminated with visions and divine lights. The smallest of effort put into knowing ‘oneself’ never goes in waste – as the mere repetition of His name too is acknowledged by Him – as He smiles lovingly at them and blesses them for at least remembering Him.